


Behind the Scenes Part 2

by ForensicSpider98



Series: Love After the Fact [13]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, All this stress is bad for the baby, Altean Adam (Voltron), Altean Prince Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Balmeran Hunk (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Galra Shiro (Voltron), Galran Prince Keith (Voltron), Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Moral Dilemmas, Multi, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Olkari Pidge | Katie Holt, Post-War, it's keith. keith is the baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:13:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23016817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForensicSpider98/pseuds/ForensicSpider98
Summary: It's not a booty call. Yet
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Alfor/Coran (Voltron), Allura/Lotor/Romelle (Voltron), Haggar/Zarkon (Voltron), Hunk & Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Love After the Fact [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1635043
Comments: 14
Kudos: 230





	Behind the Scenes Part 2

Despite the princes’ best efforts, they did not manage to chase Adam off. However, they did give him an excuse not to work for the rest of the day.

Adam has but one hobby, which Lance has facilitated well over their years together. He’s working in the princes’ little garden, carefully digging into the soil to create patches of new plants. Lance chose them after spending most of an afternoon chasing after disgruntled gardeners and interrogating them as to which plants Keith seems to like most. The Crown Prince had then handed Adam and the head groundskeeper a list of new additions to his garden.

Sooner or later, Lance would no doubt be speaking to someone about expanding the tower or some other such manner of extending their garden. Adam is already looking into possible solutions, chiefly a wall around their tower to separate a space for the princes and a greenhouse for during the winter. Knowing Lance, he'll want room for a playground and some kind of small pool for their future children.

Adam feels for the princes. He keeps his feelings hidden deep, where they don't get in the way, but he acknowledges them, takes them into account. Keith doesn't appear to be interested in gardening, but he definitely has an interest in being outside. Having his own special garden might help keep him inside the walls, keep him safe.

As Adam works his hands into the soil, coaxing some harmonic lilies, complete with the crab-hamster family as per Lance's behest, he thinks about the future.

What will the princes require? Aphrodisiacs? Contraceptives? Medicines? Oils? Should he have Hunk contact his family back on the Balmera and request some crystals? What sort of unique needs might their progeny require? 

Prince Lotor had not been a healthy infant, though he cuts a striking figure now. He’s the only reference Adam has for what he might expect from the princes’ offspring. Perhaps he should confer with Coran and request Lotor’s records from Daibazaal.

Adam pulls out a comms unit and presses a button. It doesn’t take long. “Hello?”

“I have questions. Are you busy?” Adam stops to stretch his back, turning to glance at the Galra on the holograph.

“And a good day to you, too.” Shiro smiles. His ears are turned toward where Adam's face might be. “No, I’m not busy. What can I do for you?”

“What do you know of Galra hybrids?”

“Ahh… With Alteans, or in general? Not much, to be truthful, but I can put you in touch with someone who does-”

“I’d rather keep this between us.” 

“As you wish.” Shiro pauses. “I know a some general information, and a few hybrids. Galra DNA takes very well to that of other species. As far as I’m aware, hybrids are most always capable of reproducing. They tend to have varying skills and characteristics. One of Lotor’s generals can turn invisible-”

“I meant health-wise.” Adam winces. “Sorry. Stress. Didn’t mean to be rude.”

“I think you need an attendant of your own.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice. I could get one, but too many people keeping secrets is… undesirable. So, health problems?”

“Minimal. Occasionally something pops up. Zethrid has some form of gigantism… Narti is blind and deaf, but that’s related to her mother species. A few have turned up with defects, but nothing major...” Shiro trails off.

“What is it?”

“Keith’s mother has his same condition. It is hereditary. That is what your greatest concern should be. Pregnancy is high-risk… Keith doesn’t know, but he’s not an only child. Not technically.”

Adam swallows, considering the implications of that. “How many?”

“Four, that Krolia knows of. There may have been others, not far enough along for her to have even been aware. Keith is her second born. The other was still-born, not even close to term.” Adam sets aside his tools, turning to face the man in the holograph. “That being said, she was isolated, and we were at war at the time, so she did not have access to medical care. We can begin planning now. I will ask if she would agree to some tests. Perhaps she can visit her son, sneak into your medical center. If we work together, all of the princes' children will have a fighting chance.”

“Hm.” Adam sits back. “That seems agreeable. More than agreeable, actually. The boy misses his mother. He seems to have a great deal of trouble sleeping. Lance sits up with him sometimes.”

“Have they started getting along, yet?”

“Yes, actually.” Adam bites his lip. “You didn’t hear this from me.”

“Of course not.”

“But their quintessence is compatible.” His and Shiro’s is too, but he keeps that to himself. “Lance’s base is blue, mostly, but he has a red streak, as well. Keith’s base is red, with a streak of black. They’re not perfectly matched, but do complement each other nicely. They might end up actually working as a couple.”

“That would be nice. Say, what’s my base?”

“Black. Black is compatible with anything.” Adam turns back to the garden, pruning the golden regent orchid Keith stole. He adjusts the twine tethering it to the tree, feeding a bit of his own quintessence, coaxing its roots to take to the trunk. He'd had to dig it up once the soil had begun to cause its health to decline.

“Anything?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“That’s its nature. Black is a concentration of pigment. It’s made to absorb everything else and spread like ink in water. A great leader has the ability to make everyone part of the same whole.

“For example…” Adam glances to the Galra whose attention never wavers. It’s flattering, after so long being the invisible man. For the first time in his life, Adam caves. “Green quintessence is knowledge, and enthusiasm with knowledge. It’s also a connection with living things. Life moves in cycles, as does knowledge. It ebbs, flows, fades in and out…But it can be unfocused; it can err. 

“A leader, like yourself, might offer that drive, that instinct, some goal or direction so that it might better serve a group.”

“You seem relatively focused,” Shiro murmurs.

“Perhaps, but I am pulled in many directions. I’ve simply had practice managing myself. Hence, gardening while thinking about medical concerns at least a decaphoeb in the future.”

“So _you_ put the garden together. I wondered.”

“Lance assisted. He doesn’t have time for this right now, so he asked me to add some new things for Keith. He stole a rare flower and keeps coming out here to look at it, so Lance asked me to work on adding more plants and perhaps a sitting place.” 

Adam carefully sets down a basket of other clinging plants, selecting a few to attach to the trunk and branches of the singing tree. Shiro watches as he carefully ties the plants in place, arranging and rearranging before using his alchemy to encourage them to take root to the trunk. “You have an eye for this sort of thing.”

“Aesthetic beauty is something Alteans value, but yes. I’m particularly skilled in achieving it.” Adam steps back to admire his handiwork. “What does your garden look like?”

“Organized rows of plants, carefully labeled and groomed.”

“Sounds ugly.”

“Ugly, but functional. Unlike your tree.”

“This is functional. It’s not a medicinal garden. It’s a garden meant to cultivate something else.” Adam plucks some turning leaves from the tree, listening to the delicate chiming tune back into key under his care. “It’s meant to cultivate happiness and peace.”

“That sounds like medicine to me. Just, you know, not the kind my people take much stock in. It’s unfortunate. I know some people who could benefit.”

“Romelle.”

“She I have an excuse for. She’s Altean. Likes pretty things. Thus, I have a bit more leeway. I can do more for her. But Galra, they appreciate functionality over everything else.”

“So...What purpose do I serve? What’s my functionality?”

“Beg pardon?”

“Well, you desired to keep in contact with me. So I must serve some functionality.” Adam turns, gives Shiro his full and undivided attention. “So… Tell me what it is.”

“Nothing. No functionality whatsoever.” The Galra captain smiles a crooked smile. “Well, there’s a bit of functionality, but that’s only a minor concern. More of a bonus than anything else. What functionality do I serve for you?”

Adam turns back to the garden, furiously pruning the dead leaves from the tree. “Undetermined.”

“I see…Well, do keep me posted, then. I will gather what information I can regarding Keith’s condition. I will also see if we can’t smuggle Krolia over for a day or two… I enjoyed speaking to you.”

“Yes.” Adam pauses. “I enjoyed it too. Thank you for inquiring on my behalf.”

“Of course. Please, contact me again. For anything at all. It doesn’t need to be pertinent.”

“I- I understand.” Adam does not confirm or deny that he will contact the captain again.

The captain smiles all the same, ears turned resolutely toward him through the screen, grey and gold eyes gleaming bright and happy. Once Keith had pointed out how smitten the Galra was, Adam can’t stop thinking about it. The way the Shiro watches his every move with delighted interest. He’s so forward, in his own way. Alteans are so much more subtle, so different in their behavior. They tend to be oblique with their words, but, with the exception of Keith, very direct with body language. The opposite of Alteans.

Still, it’s nice to be the center of someone’s attention. Maybe they can compare physik knowledge or something.

Or something.

**Author's Note:**

> Next time on Love After the Fact: Keith sits in on one of Lance's alchemy lessons.


End file.
